Cell transfer printing from patterned poly(ethylene glycol)-oleyl surfaces to biological hydrogels for rapid and efficient cell micropatterning.

Cell transfer printing from patterned poly(ethylene glycol)-oleyl surfaces onto biological hydrogel sheets is investigated herein, as a new cell stamping method for both cell microarray and tissue engineering. By overlaying a hydrogel sheet on the cells immobilized on the poly(ethylene glycol)-oleyl surface and successively peeling it off, the immobilized cells were transferred onto a hydrogel sheet because the adhesive interaction between the cells and the hydrogel was stronger than that between the cells and the poly(ethylene glycol)-oleyl surface. Four types of human cell could be efficiently transferred onto a rigid collagen sheet.

Icariin: a potential osteoinductive compound for bone tissue engineering.

To effectively treat bone diseases using bone regenerative medicine, there is an urgent need to develop safe and cheap drugs that can potently induce bone formation. Here, we demonstrate the osteogenic effects of icariin, the main active compound of Epimedium pubescens. Icariin induced osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblastic cells.

Bone regeneration using collagen type I vitrigel with bone morphogenetic protein-2.

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 is a very promising candidate for the treatment of bone diseases and defects, but more effective therapeutic methods are required due to its instability in vivo. A controlled and localized delivery system of Bone morphogenetic protein-2 would be appropriate for effective bone regeneration. Here, we report a novel delivery system of bone morphogenetic protein-2 using vitrigel (a novel stable collagen gel membrane prepared from vitrified type I collagen) for in vivo bone regeneration.

Icariin induces osteogenic differentiation in vitro in a BMP- and Runx2-dependent manner.

To effectively treat bone diseases using bone regenerative medicine, there is an urgent need to develop safe cheap drugs that can potently induce bone formation. Here, we demonstrate the osteogenic effect of icariin, the main active compound of Epimedium pubescens. Icariin induced osteogenic differentiation in pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and mouse primary osteoblasts.

Bone-like tissue formation by three-dimensional culture of MG63 osteosarcoma cells in gelatin hydrogels using calcium-enriched medium.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Ca(2+) concentration in culture medium on the promotion of osteogenesis by MG63 osteoblast-like cells and to prepare bone-like tissues by supplying Ca(2+)-enriched medium to MG63 cells immobilized in three-dimensional gelatin hydrogels. Human osteosarcoma MG63 cells were cultured on tissue culture dish under various Ca(2+) concentrations to evaluate the effect of Ca(2+) concentration on calcium deposition. When Ca(2+) concentration was 8 mM, the maximum calcium deposition was obtained at day 28.

Medical application of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles.

Since magnetic particles have unique features, the development of a variety of medical applications has been possible. The most unique feature of magnetic particles is their reaction to a magnetic force, and this feature has been utilized in applications such as drug targeting and bioseparation including cell sorting. Recently, magnetic nanoparticles have attracted attention because of their potential as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and heating mediators for cancer therapy (hyperthermia).

Proliferation and stratification of keratinocyte on cultured amniotic epithelial cells for tissue engineering.

Human amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs) are formed from amnioblasts, separated from the epiblast at about the 8th day after fertilization. Recent studies suggest that HAECs can produce various biologically active substances. In this study, the effects of cultured HAECs on keratinocytes were investigated.

Transglutaminase-mediated gelatin matrices incorporating cell adhesion factors as a biomaterial for tissue engineering.

The goal of this work was to develop a novel biomaterial to be used for either wound dressing or as a scaffold for tissue engineering. The biodegradable hydrogels were prepared through cross-linking of gelatin with transglutaminase (TGase) in an aqueous solution. We found that the concentrations of 5 wt% gelatin and 1 unit/ml TGase were optimum for the proliferation of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts.

Functional magnetic particles for medical application.

Magnetic particles for medical applications have been developed by many researchers. Since magnetic particles have unique magnetic features not present in other materials, they can be applied to special medical techniques. Separation, immunoassay, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, and hyperthermia are enhanced by the use of magnetic particles.

Recombinant extracellular matrix-like proteins with repetitive elastin or collagen-like functional motifs.

Using overlap elongation PCR, we created repetitive DNA libraries encoding the elastin VPGVG and collagen-like GERGDRGDP sequences. From these libraries we isolated two repetitive DNA sequences, Col-5 encoding [(GERGDRGDP)(5)GER], and Ela-16 encoding [(VPGVG)(16)VPG]. Both proteins were expressed as thioredoxin fusion proteins.

Functional magnetic particles for medical application.

Magnetic particles for medical applications have been developed by many researchers. Since magnetic particles have unique magnetic features not present in other materials, they can be applied to special medical techniques. Separation, immunoassay, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, and hyperthermia are enhanced by the use of magnetic particles.

Microbial expression of proteins containing long repetitive Arg-Gly-Asp cell adhesive motifs created by overlap elongation PCR.

We developed a novel method for creating repetitive DNA libraries using overlap elongation PCR, and prepared a DNA library encoding repetitive Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) cell adhesive motifs. We obtained various length DNAs encoding repetitive RGD from a short monomer DNA (18 bp) after a thermal cyclic reaction without a DNA template for amplification, and isolated DNAs encoding 2, 21, and 43 repeats of the RGD motif. We cloned these DNAs into a protein expression vector and overexpressed them as thioredoxin fusion proteins: RGD2, RGD21, and RGD43, respectively.

Hyperthermia using magnetite cationic liposomes for hamster osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: We have developed magnetite cationic liposomes (MCLs) and applied them to local hyperthermia as a mediator. MCLs have a positive charge and generate heat under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) by hysteresis loss. In this study, the effect of hyperthermia using MCLs was examined in an in vivo study of hamster osteosarcoma.

Tumor regression by combined immunotherapy and hyperthermia using magnetic nanoparticles in an experimental subcutaneous murine melanoma.

Immunotherapy (IT) has become an accepted therapeutic modality. We previously reported that intracellular hyperthermia (IH) using magnetic nanoparticles induces antitumor immunity. We undertook these studies in order to study the combined effects of IT and IH on melanoma.

Anticancer effect and immune induction by hyperthermia of malignant melanoma using magnetite cationic liposomes.

The hyperthermic effect of magnetic particles was examined in an in vivo study of mouse B16 melanoma. Magnetite cationic liposomes (MCLs) have a positive surface charge and generate heat under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) by hysteresis loss. MCLs were injected into melanoma nodules, which were then subjected to an AMF.

Heat shock protein 70 expression induces antitumor immunity during intracellular hyperthermia using magnetite nanoparticles.

In this study we demonstrated that heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression by hyperthermia induced antitumor immunity in the T-9 rat glioma. Our hyperthermic system using magnetic nanoparticles induced necrotic cell death that correlated with HSP70 expression. We purified the HSP70-peptide complexes from the tumor after hyperthermia to investigate whether HSP70 was involved in the antitumor immunity, and we found that in the F344 rats immunized with T-9-derived HSP70 the tumor growth of T-9 was significantly suppressed.

Effective solitary hyperthermia treatment of malignant glioma using stick type CMC-magnetite. In vivo study.

Various kinds of hyperthermic treatment for malignant glioma had been inhibited due to both their incomplete feverish action and strict cooling effect of the brain. The author shows an effective results of hyperthermia for the treatment of malignant glioma in an in vivo study using stick type carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-magnetite, a newly manufactured magnetite-product. A stick type CMC-magnetite, containing magnetite particles, was inserted into the T-9 glioma in the rat brain stereotactically, and the rats were exposed to an alternative magnetic field (AMF).

Effect of functional magnetic particles on radiofrequency capacitive heating: an in vivo study.

Specific heating of magnetic particles in radiofrequency (RF) capacitive hyperthermia and its hyperthermic effect were investigated in an in vivo study. Magnetite cationic liposomes (MCLs) were injected into a rat tumor on the femur and 8 MHz-RF capacitive heating was applied to the rat under "mild heating" conditions. Although the input power of RF capacitive heating was low under the same power conditions, the MCLs-injected tumor was heated over 43 degrees C, whereas it was only heated to 41 degrees C in the case of the rats not injected with MCLs.